2 members of the World Famous Purple Helmet Display team rode in the ISDE in Wales in 83 Bear and Chuck, Here are some fantastic piccies of Chuck on his 1983 PE175 Suzuki, The first piccy shows a shiny new bike and a shiny young man! The others show a not so new bike and a man who looks 20 years older. Chuck and Bear both finished what was considered the hardest ISDE ever. In Chuck's case not a bad result for a Schoolboy motocross rider in his first ever time card enduro.

 

That front mudguard needs some mud on it.            6 days later, a lifetime.

The next time the boys ventured to the ISDE it was 5 years later in France, but we have no pictures from that event! Come on Pack get those pics sent to me. A team was entered again in 1989 and 3 of the current Purple Helmet team were riding Fluffy Phil Pack and Leo. All 3 gained silver medals. Again sadly we have no pictures yet from 1989.

The big adventure on the horizon was to come in 1992 when 3 members of the team ventured to Australia to ride in the fantastic 6 days in Cessnock NSW. Bear and Charlie was riding for the Southern Mcc I-O-M with "factory" Phil Smithson and Leo rode with Seaton Deleval MC. Bear and Leo were flying early on as they were running 1st and 2nd in the BEC Expert class at the time.  Both were on gold medal pace unfortunately for both their gold medal dreams were to be shattered when they lost time on day 4, Leo with a puncture and Bear getting held up by crap riders on some tough climbs were there was only 1 line up.  Again all 3 Purple Helmets finished the event. Below are a few piccies from New South Wales.

 

 

Bear on a test cheered by Manxies.               Leo desperately tries to bleed his front brake.

Chuck, smiling as ever. Stan and Dave assist!             Bear fits a new tyre! Check out the big afro hair man!

 

Chuck navigates the Suzuki up the rocks.         Meet the locals, Scumbag MC! Fair Dinkum,

The next year the 6 days was to be held in Holland, the lads decided not to ride, Leo had just had his left knee ACL rebuilt and Bear and the other lads decided to wait to the USA to ride. Glamour locations 1 and all. We decided as a team to attend the 6 days to spectate and Holland was the year the famous Sheep Skull logo was born after Pack and Bear decided it would be a good idea to put a dead sheeps head on his front mudguard back in 1991, It took us 2 years to realise it was a special logo and get it on tee shirts.

A team was entered in the 1994 ISDE in Tulsa Oklahoma USA. The event was held all on one ranch. Chuck was meant to be in the team but suffered a badly broken leg in a local MX a few months prior and could not ride. A replacement was sought and Mike Alty stepped up to the plate. Another Purple Helmet team member. The team was Mike, Bear and fellow Manxman Kev Milward, Bear was again on the gold pace, now a championship rider was faster than ever but again his gold medal dream was shattered, Tulsa was so rocky the lads had to use mousse for the first time, Leo had to train all 3 riders to change mousses in the days prior to the event and unfortunately Bear lost 2 minutes changing a front tyre. Back in 1994 there were no luxuries like mousse boards it was a bit of wood 6 tyre levers and brute force! Milly lost 4th and 5th gear on his Honda on day 3 but 90% of the track was so tight he managed without them and stayed on time all week. Mike soldiered on with good test times with a new front pipe nearly every other day due to the massive rocks lining the track. Fortunately we were in the USA and FMF were handing out pipes for very little money. The team all rode well to finish in an event were nearly half the entry retired due to the 9 hour plus days. We decided in 1994 the world was not ready for Sheep Skull race shirts, maybe a mistake looking back but we were young! The team were second best British club team a good result from a privately funded team. We are still waiting for pictures of the 94 event to be sent so you will have to wait! 

After 1994 we attended the 6 days as spectators right up to the present date. The teams continued to be entered in the 6 days the next team was in 1999 in Portugal. 2 Helmet members were on the team Andy Walton and GF, the only man to back flip a Honda c90. The Purple helmet riders were there in full force with 20 helpers how can you fail to finish the 6 days! Easily as the Purple Helmets are usually just coming home from the bar as the riders are getting up!

Andy, GF and Milly                                                    Andy, cheered on by some Helmets.

Andy gets told how easy it looks by 6 day veteran, Pack.                           Milly on the test.

 

 Something makes me think that was not on the script! Andy suffers at the famous river crossing seen in many a Portugal WEC round. Its the only river crossing I know complete with bar and all day disco for the spectators. At least it was sunny and good drying weather. Unlucky that man! Get wringing that air filter.

In 2005 Fluffy Phil of the Helmets rode the Slovakian 6 days with Julian Crimp and Rob Poulton, in a team from Sheffield. Phil, being a ladies hairdresser, is made of the kind of stuff to get to the finish of his 2nd 6 days. Here is ramping it up on one of the tests proudly wearing his Skull shirt being cheered on by Lord Pearson of Sandside.

 

The next official Sheep Skull team in the 6 days was in 2006 in New Zealand. Andy rode for the team again along with IOM Centre Enduro champion Ben Begbie and Nigel Beaumont. here are a few piccies.

Ben centre champion makes it look easy.              Andy manouvers round Finny on the test.

Final MX! Again 3 starters and 3 finishers. Again a 100% ISDE record for the Purple Helmets / Sheep Skull Enduro riders. What more can we say.